Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Weekly Weigh-in July 31


I really feel like I'm making progress on my fitness goals now.  Calorie counting on MyFitnessPal is going well and feeling relatively painless.  Weight loss is progressing slowly but steadily but I'm seeing a real difference in the measurements.  In two weeks, I've lost 1.5" off my waist, 1" off my hips, .5" off my upper arms, and an 1" off my upper thigh.

I finally started Week 5 of Couch to 5K and it went well, though slower than I would have liked.  Mondays are turning into a difficult day since I also have my ballet class.  It definitely makes it harder to start a new set of intervals. It felt really good to do the ballet workout again.  My balance still sucks but I think it is improving.  Sometimes it feels like nothing change, ten years later I'm still the largest girl in ballet class.  Though at least this time I'm not comparing myself to pre-pubescent kids.  Small victories.

I added a new workout to my routine this weekend.  I'm giving Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred a try since I've heard really good things about the results.  I'm certainly okay with more inches lost!  I'm currently on Day 3.

I was really excited to do my cycling in front of the Olympics yesterday.  I'm taking today off to rest my knee a bit but there should be plenty of Olympics to watch and workout with.

I think that at this point I just need to let my routine settle and stop adding things.  I don't want to push too hard and get injured.

I've set-up a static page to create a photographic progression of my fitness journey.  Currently I have a set of before pictures up and the next set will go up tonight.

Statistics:

Current Weight: 226.2 pounds
Last Week:   227.6 pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 1.4 pounds lost

Starting Weight: 225.2 pounds
Highest Point: 228.2 pounds
Lowest Point: 224.8 pounds



Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

Monday, July 30, 2012

Writing Update July 30



This week wasn't much better writing-wise than last week but I did make some writing progress.  This week marks the start of the August session of Camp NaNoWriMo.  This is where you should see some real writing progress made.  There will be some large jumps in word count for A Guide to Inter-species Dating, and if I run out of story before the end of the month, the Steampunk Seasonal Serial will get more words due to being behind schedule since I'd hoped to have the first draft long finished by now.  I'll try to keep up with posting my Camp NaNoWriMo stats on a daily basis but I won't make any promises for later in the month.


Statistics:
Words Written: 1237
Scenes Outlined: 2

Works In Progress

Outbreak (NaNoWriMo 2011) - Resting

54270 / 90000

Hive Mind (NaNoWriMo 2010) - Editing and Writing Second Draft

51628 / 90000

Steampunk Seasonal Serial - Writing First Draft

15639 / 50000



A Guide to Inter-species Dating - Brainstorming and Outlining

0 / 50000

Literary+ Strangers Anthology - Outlined, Waiting to Write

0 / 6000

Literary+ Smoke and Shadows Serial Installment - Brainstorming

0 / 700

Greased Gears - Writing First Draft

9326 / 90000

Friday, July 27, 2012

Guest Post by A.K Flynn: Interactive Character Relationships



It's time again for another Literary+ Blog Tour!  Today's lovely Guest Blogger is A.K. Flynn.



Literary+ is a writer based project brought together and lead by Shen Hart. It brings together passionate, quality self-published writers to help each other promote their work, bringing more readers to every member. It was sparked by the simple fact that there are many top quality self-published authors being over-looked because they do not have the time and resources to efficiently and effectively market and promote themselves. With ambition and passion, Literary+ will take its members to the heights they deserve through a tight-knit community of like-minded writers.

Interactive Character Relationships

You've read it before, and you have questioned this exact question over and over again; why in the heck did this author put this inconsequential character in here it’s ruining the novel! I know I have read it, and I have written it, but I mostly kill mine off to get the plot back on track and keep my characters happy. (I think sometimes my characters talk to me in my dreams telling me to kill characters, or else they will haunt me.) Can you imagine a relationship with your friends that consist of incoherent babbling with lackluster interactions for a year! Well that’s the anguish you place on your readers when you have a character that is purposeless, and yes it can feel like a year when reading these types of characters. I often picture them being tormented in an incongruous way, which makes me tingle with vengeance for butchering an otherwise great novel.

To a huge degree, the art of character is really the art of characters in relationships. That means that writers need to think carefully about those crucial interactions between characters. Not only do the characters need to be fresh, quirky, and lifelike; so do those moments of meeting and interaction. If you have two key characters, the first meeting will be charged with significance. The choices you make there will echo through the rest of the book.

The characters you choose for your novel will help create conflict and make it easier for your audience to understand the resolution of the story. Furthermore, they create the dialogue and tone of the novel. I will admit some stories do not need dialogue, but I find that dialogue benefits many to understand the type of relationship each character has with one another. Remember that all fiction, and some non-fiction, requires drama to retain the reader’s attention. Writing dramatically means getting readers to wonder “what next?” as the story progresses. Do not confuse dramatic effect with melodrama.  Effective dialogue advances the plot and reveals information to create a unique story. So your characters interaction needs to be placed strategically and not haphazardly. Strategically placed characters that interact with the main character will encourage the parasocial affect in your readers which is crucial to keep them amused and invested in your novel.

You will also need to keep track of your characters throughout your novel, and I highly suggest you create a character map of each and what roles they play within the novel. The characters need to be consistent so that reader is able to make an emotional connection with them; instead of becoming frustrated with inconsistencies. You must know your character inside and out in order for them to interact with the protagonist, and know if they are they going to create a subplot, or add to the main plot. You need to be aware of many aspects of these additional characters in order for them to create a pragmatic and dynamic storyline. Remember that every sentence, piece of dialogue and interaction in your novel must serve a purpose, and if it does not then delete it or save it for a different novel.

Moreover, be vigilant about how your characters interactions change over the course of the novel. The changes could strengthen or weaken the reader’s interest in the additional characters. This may include circumstantial, environmental, subtleties, emotional, physical or psychological, and these changes can impact or influence the dynamics of the relationship with the main character. Think about how these changes impacted the characters; what did this relationship look like in the beginning of the book? What does this relationship look like now? What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship? How did the relationship change impact the characters? These key questions will aid you in keeping the story consistent and less frustrating for your reader’s when they follow each character’s storyline and interactions. Also keep in mind your audience and how simple or complex you want to make the relationships. Too simple can mean your novel will sit on a shelf; too complex and your novel might be thrown out of a window. So try and keep things balanced when it comes to these delicate relationships by keeping your audience in mind.

Your characters will take on a life of their own and it is up to you to breathe life into them. Do them justice by giving them the opportunity to be worthwhile to your readers, as characters need to interact and their pragmatism and authenticity dwells in those relationships. If you get those interactions right, you’ll be on your way to writing a brilliant novel.

Well I’m off to eradicate a few of my characters in unfathomable ways, because for me “A procrastinator’s work is never done!”



Salutations! My Name is A.K. Flynn, I'm a 27 year old bright eyed bushy tailed Child and Youth Worker to be, who is very ambitious and absolutely in love with writing all sorts mind perplexing Fiction. I also tend to pour my emotions out on the screen as it  is the only thing that keeps my hectic life sane. As of right now my website and second novel seems to be a major focus and writing is my major outlet so it all pans out perfectly. Oh did I mention I was a redhead? Well now you know! So you know my writing has got to be good, because redheads are very spontaneous... (runs off into the distance babbling to herself) 


About Lucid Dreams:

In dreams we are anyone we want to be, they are our escapes, our hopes and our will to thrive. Dreams are a pathway from one proverbial world to another; a safe little realm where we can explore and not be harmed, or so we thought... Ishya is a dreamer that suffers from insomnia, she finds herself questioning if her visions are real, or simply a lucid dream of which she controls. She slowly drives herself to the breaking point, and believes her sanity has truly left her. She uncovers the puzzling pieces that help her come back to the real world, but is it a dream or is it real? The lucid dream state is a rift not easily found, but once the gateways are open, a vivid dream is no longer a dream...





Relevant Links:
Where to Buy: Lucid Dreams
Writer's Blog: Perplexing Minds
G+ Profile: A.K. Flynn

Previous Stop on the Blog Tour: Character Creation Conundrum hosted by JD Savage
Next Stop on the Blog Tour: Gizmos for Non-Writers hosted by A M Jenner

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Portland Lindy hop Events July 25- August 1



Lindy Events for the Week of July 25-August 1


Wednesday July 25

7:30-10:30 pm Swing Night at Vie de Boheme
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Vie de Boheme Wine Bar (1530 SE 7th Ave, Portland)
Live Music by 12th Ave Hot Club

Thursday July 26


6:30-7:30 Big Apple Workshop with Coyle Parker
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
http://coyleparkerdance.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/big-apple-workshop-2/

7:30-11:00pm Thursday Swing
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson by Stefan and Bethany
8:30 DJ'd Music by Stefan and Richard

Friday July 27


6-8pm Pete Krebs and the Portland Playboys at the Secret Society
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell, Portland)


Saturday July 28


9-12 Midnight Serenaders at the Secret Society
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell, Portland)


Sunday July 29

7-11:00pm Sunday Swing 
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
7:00 Intermediate Swing Drop-in Lesson
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:00-11:00pm DJ'd Music
http://www.stumptowndance.com/


8:00-12 Jitterbug Vipers at Duff's Garage
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Duff's Garage (1635 SE 7th Ave, Portland)


Monday July 30


6:30-8:30pm Learn to Swing Dance with Josh and Emily
Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt Drive, Portland)
6:30-7:30 Beginning Lindy Hop
7:30-8:30 Beyond Beginning Partner Charleston
http://www.facebook.com/events/257273261046069/


7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica
Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday July 31

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues
Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson
8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson
9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday August 1

7:30-10:30 pm Swing Night at Vie de Boheme
Vie de Boheme Wine Bar (1530 SE 7th Ave, Portland)


Upcoming Events!

August 3 August Lindy Workshop/Dance with Justin & Olivia! (Tango Berretin, Portland, OR)
August 10-12 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)
August 18 Portland Lindy Society Summer Bash with the Midnight Serenaders (Director Park, Portland, OR)
September 1 Opening Night of Saturday Swing by S Cubed Productions (Tabor Heights UMC, Portland, OR)
September 4 Opening Night of The Rigamarole (Village Ballroom, Portland, OR)
October 17-21 Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree (Sun Valley, ID)
October 26-29 Victoria Lindy Exchange (Victoria, BC, Canada)
November 9-11 Vancouver Jazz Dance Festival (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In July 24

I've made progress toward re-establishing my exercise routine.  I've gotten my morning cycling back into consistency.  I haven't done as well running or walking every night, so that's my main goal for this week.  I've  done half of my C25K review so far.  That puts me behind where I want to be but I am seeing an increase in my speed and stamina.  I'll finish my review of weeks 3 and 4 and hopefully start week 5 this week.

I also learned that my dog is an even worse jogging partner than my sister's dog.  He was actually slowing down my running at points and he got tired before I did.  At one point when I was running, he came to a dead stop in the middle of the track.  That isn't including his attempts to stop and mark or to greet the other walkers and joggers.  I have to take him with me for the rest of the week so hopefully he has a learning curve.

Yesterday, I took my first ballet class in about 10 years.  It felt really good.  I was surprised by how much of the muscle memory is still there though my balance needs some work.  I'm a bit sore today and I'm taking that as a sign that I should go back next week.  I think this will be a nice addition to my regular swing dancing routine.  Plus a class is definitely going to be more consistent exercise than social dancing.

I started tracking my calorie intake using MyFitnessPal.com.  My first resolution is to never eat at the Burger King next to work ever again.  Good thing Subway is only a little bit farther.  I've never really done calorie counting before since I've preferred to change how I eat and skip tracking food.  This seems to be pretty doable since the calorie counts for foods are listed in a database.  I am at the very least going to give it a try.


Statistics:

Current Weight: 227.6 pounds
Last Week:   228.2 pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 0.6 pounds lost

Starting Weight: 225.2 pounds
Highest Point: 228.2 pounds
Lowest Point: 224.8 pounds



Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

Monday, July 23, 2012

Writing Update July 23


Well, this was a pretty awful writing week.  I wrote a single sentence.  I have the excellent excuse of being focused on re-establishing my workout routine and doing lots of work on the almost ready to be revealed Secret Project that has nothing to do with writing.  I'm planning to make up some words this week, though I certainly don't expect to catch up on my monthly quota. I do however really need to finish the rough draft of the Steampunk Seasonal Serial before August starts so that I can edit it in September after the August session of Camp NaNoWriMo.


Statistics:
Words Written: 11
Scenes Outlined: 0

Works In Progress

Outbreak (NaNoWriMo 2011) - Resting

54270 / 90000


Hive Mind (NaNoWriMo 2010) - Editing and Writing Second Draft

51628 / 90000

Steampunk Seasonal Serial - Writing First Draft

14402 / 50000



A Guide to Inter-species Dating - Brainstorming and Outlining

0 / 50000

Literary+ Strangers Anthology - Outlined, Waiting to Write

0 / 6000


Literary+ Smoke and Shadows Serial Installment - Brainstorming

0 / 700


Greased Gears - Writing First Draft

9326 / 90000

Friday, July 20, 2012

Brainstorming: A Guide to Inter-species Dating



I'm doing some brainstorming to make sure I have enough to write for the August Session of Camp NaNoWriMo and I could use some help.

I'm putting together a short story collection using advice given to couples trying to date outside their species and I need some more bits of advice to use as writing prompts. Here's what I have so far:

-Nobody likes a Stalker
-Once's she's dead, she's no longer your girlfriend
-An eternity of pining may seem romantic but the reality is pretty boring
-Love triangles aren't as fun if you are the only mortal
-Not all walking corpses are created equal
-Sometimes the chase is the best part
-Compatible lifestyles are very important
-Being eaten out is fun. Getting eaten? Not so much
-Sometimes magic isn't enough
-Bringing your lover back as a zombie is going to be unsatisfying for everyone
-If you can't touch, then maybe you aren't meant to be together.

So far this collection is a mix of Faeries, Elves, Humans, Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies and Ghosts. Also, lots of poking fun at common paranormal romance tropes.

So, what advice do you have for these poor couples?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

QOTD 7/19/12

Question of the Day:

What's your favorite word and why?

Mine is whimsical.  I like the way it sounds and the word whimsical just plain makes me happy.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Portland Lindy Hop Events July 18-25




Lindy Events for the Week of July 18-25


Wednesday July 18

7:30-10:30 pm Swing Night at Vie de Boheme
Vie de Boheme Wine Bar (1530 SE 7th Ave, Portland)
Live Music by Pete Petersen Septet

Thursday July 19


6:30-7:30 Big Apple Workshop with Coyle Parker
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
http://coyleparkerdance.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/big-apple-workshop-2/

7:30-11:00pm Thursday Swing
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lessons
8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday July 20


Saturday July 21


7:30-10:00pm Swing Outside Saturday
Peninsula Park (700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland)

Sunday July 22

7-11:00pm Sunday Swing 
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
7:00 Intermediate Swing Drop-in Lesson
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:00-11:00pm DJ'd Music
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

Monday July 23


6:30-8:30pm Learn to Swing Dance with Josh and Emily
Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt Drive, Portland)
6:30-7:30 Beginning Lindy Hop
7:30-8:30 Beyond Beginning Partner Charleston
http://www.facebook.com/events/257273261046069/


7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica
Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday July 24

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues
Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson
8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson
9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday July 25

7:30-10:30 pm Swing Night at Vie de Boheme
Vie de Boheme Wine Bar (1530 SE 7th Ave, Portland)


Upcoming Events!

August 3 August Lindy Workshop/Dance with Justin & Olivia! (Tango Berretin, Portland, OR)
August 10-12 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Weekly Weigh In July 17


I missed last week's check-in because I was traveling.  I did okay on staying active at the beginning of the trip where I did a running work out one day and the same time's worth of walking the next day.  But traveling is really hard on the exercise routine and healthy eating habits, especially since I wasn't able to do any cycling or dancing while I was traveling.

I came home to the arrival of summer which combined with the traveling caused me to backslide a bit on my C25K progress.  I'm going to take this week and do a micro review of the past weeks of C25K and hopefully be ready to start Week 5 next Monday.

I've decided to try making my exercise routine a daily occurrence so that there aren't multi-day breaks that disrupt the flow of the routine.  I'm also trying to add some body-weight exercise like crunches to build up certain muscle groups.

My weight loss progress hasn't been very encouraging but according to my measurements I've lost an inch from my waist, upper arms and thighs.  So that means something is working!  Slow progress is still progress. Maybe this week I'll work on taming my sweet tooth.


Statistics:

Current Weight: 228.2 pounds
Last Week:   225.4 pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 2.8 pounds gained

Starting Weight: 225.2 pounds
Highest Point: 228.2 pounds
Lowest Point: 224.8 pounds

Monday, July 16, 2012

Writing Update Jul 16



This week was even rougher for my writing than last week.  I was traveling and attending funeral stuff which put a pretty large dent in my time and creative energy.  I didn't get much added to my WIPs but I wrote a couple of flash fiction pieces that kept me sane this week.  Hopefully, now that I'm back home I can return to my writing schedule and get caught up on my writing.  I'm entering this week a bit beaten up but definitely not down for the count.

Flash Fiction Posted:
Steven is Not a Ghost
Zombie Dave

Statistics:
Words Written: 1866
Scenes Outlined: 7

Works In Progress

Outbreak (NaNoWriMo 2011) - Resting

54270 / 90000


Hive Mind (NaNoWriMo 2010) - Editing and Writing Second Draft

51628 / 90000


Steampunk Seasonal Serial - Writing First Draft

14391 / 50000



A Guide to Inter-species Dating - Brainstorming and Outlining

0 / 50000

Literary+ Strangers Anthology - Outlined, Waiting to Write

0 / 6000


Literary+ Smoke and Shadows Serial Installment - Brainstorming

0 / 700


Greased Gears - Writing First Draft

9326 / 90000

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Flash Fic: Steven is Not a Ghost

I am firmly embracing this process life like a writer thing so, this is what I wrote after my Uncle's funeral today.

More Flash Fiction

Steven opened his eyes to find himself laying flat on his back in a small dark enclosed space.  He tried to cry out and shove at the top but no sound came out of his mouth and his hands remained were they were.  Steven started to panic a little.  Had something happened?  Was he paralyzed? Was he dreaming?  He’d had nightmares like this before.  But something in him knew that this wasn’t a dream.  He knew deep down inside that this was terribly, horribly real.

Suddenly there was light above him.  The faces of his family leaned over him and he still couldn’t move or speak.  The faces were sad and tear stained and he felt a sinking sensation in his gut as he noticed the prevalence of black attire.  He is stricken with the realization that he is dead.

Next thing Steven knows he is standing outside the ring of people around the coffin.  He recognizes his surroundings as the local cemetery.  The coffin contains his body, painted and dressed up so he still has no idea what killed him.  He senses the presence beside him.  It feels more real to him than any of the people around his coffin.

The presence beside Steven turns out to be a man or at least shaped like one.  Steven knows that what he feels is the touch of the divine on the being next to him.

“Am I a ghost?”  Steven asks.

“Do you want to be?” A light male voice responds.  Steven watches his wife cry into the shoulder of one of their grown up sons and hesitates.

“No, I don’t think so.”  Steven says finally.  “Do I really have a choice?”

“There is always a choice.  I am merely here to present you with the choice.  If you choose to go on, I will guide you to the light.”  The other being stated as a matter of fact.

“Only to the light?”  Steven asked brimming with curiosity.

“I can take you there but only you can take the final step.”  The man said calmly.

“I’m ready now.” Steven said.

“Then direct your sight over there.”  The man gestured to a spot between the trees and Steven could see a place of concentrated light.  Steven walked to the threshold and turned back to look at the other man.

“What if I’m supposed to remain here to watch over my family?”  Steven asked.

“Do you feel like you are tied to this place?  Are there things that you have left unsaid or undone?”  The man asked calmly.

“I…” Steven thought for a moment.  “No.  There is more that I would have liked to have done but I have lived and loved, and raised strong and gentle sons who know how much I love them.  I have nothing to gain from remaining like this on Earth.”  He decided finally.

“Then, when you are ready, step into the light.”  The other man replied.

Steven stepped into the light.

He remembered now.  He remembered his childhood full of love and happiness.  He remembered meeting and marrying his wife.  He remembered raising his sons.  He remembered the car accident that claimed his life.  And then, he remembered the light and the light filled him with peace.

Back in the cemetery, Steven's coffin was lowered into the ground.

Flash Fiction: Zombie Dave


Zombie Dave

Dedicated to my dear departed Uncle Dave; hopefully he’d be amused that he inspired this instead of upset. Also, he is one of the few people for whom I would stand for four hours and shake hands or hug that many strangers.

Please note: except for the obvious exception all names involved are purely fictional.


Trish was standing next to her grieving Aunt to the right of the open coffin. She’d been unofficially assigned the task of making sure that Aunt Grace remained upright and supplied with tissues. Trish glanced past the line of people waiting to personally offer their condolences to her Aunt and Cousins, Derek and Alex, to where her mother was discretely keeping Uncle Dave’s mother occupied on the other end of the reception room. Celeste was not taking the sudden death of her beloved son well at all and there were a certain number of hurt feelings between Grace and Celeste.

Seeing that her mother had Celeste well under control, Trish let her eyes scan the room more completely. She noticed that additional flower arrangements had appeared while she had been hugging an unknown number of strangers and her gaze gravitated to the coffin where her Uncle lay still. Trish thought she saw her Uncle’s eyes open but after blinking and shaking her head she saw that she was mistaken. Clearly, she had been watching too many movies. She brought her attention back to the conversation in front of her just in time to receive yet another hug.

She listened to several more stories reminiscing about her uncle’s life before a sound penetrated her subconscious. It took her a moment to realize what sound was bothering her but once she did it was unmistakably moaning. She glanced around looking for the distraught mourner who had been suddenly overcome with the reality of her Uncle’s death and was almost relieved to see that it was actually Uncle Dave sitting up in his coffin and moaning.

“What the hell?” Trish exclaimed softly.

“What happened?” Grace asked overhearing the expression of surprise. When no answer was forthcoming, Grace tried to see what her niece was looking at. She gasped when she caught sight of her husband kicking his way out of the coffin. Trish knew there was something wrong about that movement but she figured it out too late.

Several things happened in the space of three heartbeats. First, Celeste spotted Dave from across the room. Second, Dave broke free of the coffin. Third, Dave grabbed the nearest mourner and ripped his throat out. With his teeth! Trish remained rooted to the spot in shock and her Aunt was in a similar state. Others were not so reserved and started a mad dash toward the exit of the funeral home. Those were the smart reactions.

“Dave!” Celeste cried out and launched herself across the room, arms open to embrace her son who was still chomping on the unfortunate man in his clutches.

“That isn’t Dave!” Grace cried out and tried to grab her mother-in-law. But Celeste was too fast and quickly was inches away Zombie Dave. Zombie Dave looked up from the corpse in his grasp with blood dripping down his chin and staining his dress shirt and tie. Celeste stopped suddenly fully aware that something was terribly wrong but unable to backpedal fast enough. Trish screamed as Zombie Dave lunged at Celeste teeth first.

In the blink of an eye, a metal plant stand slammed into Zombie Dave’s head. Trish looked up into the grim eyes of Cousin Derek who beat the zombie’s head a few more times before dropped the now-misshapen length of metal and throwing up into the nearest flower arrangement.

“I just couldn’t let Dad eat Grandma.” He muttered shakily and Trish handed him a fresh bottle of water.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Weekly Writing Update July 10


I wasn't too consistent at writing in the later half of the week due to the hospitalization and death of an uncle. I did better at outlining each day but there's always more to be done.  I'm hoping to have some spare time this week to do more writing since I'm adding more projects than I'm finishing.  I might be blaming Literary+ for that to go along with my own tendency to say "yes" and "that sounds like fun".

In addition to my regular writing, I do have a little flash fic that I wrote for Literary+ to share.  It was part of the First Line Assignment where I started off with the first line of another writers WIP (and he wrote a flash fic using one of mine).

First Line Flash Fiction:

Commander Quercus looked out over the fields, surveying the army that was now his. He was the only officer left on the field of battle. Command had only been his for a few short minutes but already the burden was heavier than he could bear. There was a temporary pause in the fighting as each side regrouped for a final push.

His battle computer told him that the defeat of his army was inevitable. They could wipe out the troops of the enemy forces but there would be no one left standing to proclaim the victory. The orders for the campaign showed that relief forces would arrive the next day for both armies. He let the battle computer run the math. If he waited, the men and women under his command would live to see another day but the projections showed that the battle including the strength of the reinforcements would favor the enemy. The war would be lost and the enemy army would continue straight on to invade the city he had been ordered to protect.

It was a terrible choice. One that he wished some other officer was alive to make. But there was no one else and there was only one choice that he could make. Commander Quercus said a quick prayer to the gods he didn’t believe in and felt a terrible peace take hold of him. He entered the orders into his battle computer but paused before sending them out and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he pressed the button.

Statistics:
Words Written: 2162
Scenes Outlined: 4

Works In Progress

Outbreak (NaNoWriMo 2011) - Resting

54270 / 90000


Hive Mind (NaNoWriMo 2010) - Editing and Writing Second Draft

51628 / 90000


Steampunk Seasonal Serial - Writing First Draft

13713 / 50000



A Guide to Inter-species Dating - Brainstorming and Outlining

0 / 50000

Literary+ Strangers Anthology - Outlined, Waiting to Write

0 / 6000


Literary+ Smoke and Shadows Serial Installment - Brainstorming

0 / 700


Greased Gears - Writing First Draft

9326 / 90000

Guest Post by JD Savage: Put this in your next book



Today, fantasy author JD Savage will be providing his unique take on things as part of the first ever Literary Plus Blog Tour!






Literary+ is a writer based project brought together and lead by Shen Hart. It brings together passionate, quality self-published writers to help each other promote their work, bringing more readers to every member. It was sparked by the simple fact that there are many top quality self-published authors being over-looked because they do not have the time and resources to efficiently and effectively market and promote themselves. With ambition and passion, Literary+ will take its members to the heights they deserve through a tight-knit community of like-minded writers.



"Put this in your next book" 
How to deal with those helpful friends


When I was in my 20s, I was a bar manager for a comedy club. It was a busy place, with many of the comedy stars you see today working out their material as unknowns. I got the chance to meet and hang out with many of these guys, (they were mostly guys), at the bar after their sets. As in most situations where alcohol flows freely, people like to talk. Many of them were tortured souls with tragic back stories, and all of them had a list of pet peeves about being a comic on the road. At the top of every list, though, was the same thing. People who wanted them to listen to a joke to “use in your act”.


They all hated that. What made it really bad was that it usually came from friends or family members, people they didn’t really want to hurt or insult. They all had different ways of dealing with it, but their approaches fell into a few common categories. More on that in a minute.


When my first novel, “The Seeds” was published, I naturally wanted to tell everyone who would listen about it. I wanted to get them excited about it and hopefully get them to tell their friends. The responses I got from these encounters fell into a few common categories, as well.


Most people are polite, but in any protracted conversation, what a human really wants to talk about is their own self. This leads, inevitably to the declaration of “I should write a book”, or “Listen to this, you can use this in your next book”.


Sometimes, these stories are really funny. These are few and far between. Mostly, I hear stories that are at turns tragic, mildly humorous or so benign that I am left wondering why they felt that this was a story good enough to tell, let alone why they would think anyone would want to read it.


What I learned from the comedians all those years ago still holds up in these cases, and I refer back to those conversations quite a bit. The categories are: a) Thanks and Ignore, b) Thanks and Change, c) Deflect, and d) The Body Slam. Never once did I hear of a comedian using a story that someone had told them in their act. Use at your discretion.


The Thanks and Ignore was by far the most common. This consisted of pretending to listen to the story, chuckling at all of the appropriate moments, and then promptly forgetting it as soon as possible.


The Thanks and Change approach happened when the story teller used a word or phrase that the listener found interesting. The rest of the story was ignored, as the comic re-wrote a story or joke that was actually funny based on that snippet. The resulting bit usually bore little to no resemblance to the original.


The Deflect was practiced by those who had been around for a while. They had learned the hard lesson of paying too close attention to people who wanted to help them in their act. The price to be paid was always time and the person expecting to be included or referenced in the act. They had learned to deflect the story teller onto another tangent, (one that opened the door of escape for the comedian), thereby short-circuiting the conversation. “… so, by the time I got to the junkyard… Time? Hey, look at the time… I gotta go. Remember to tell me the rest of this story later, ok?”


And, finally, d) The Body Slam. I don’t recommend this approach for any but the most practiced put-down artist. This approach consisted of the comedian waiting patiently for the story-teller to say or do something that the comedian could seize upon, and then use it to verbally body slam them into submission. They would be treated the way a veteran comic treats a heckler. Quickly, meanly and with prejudice. There is no coming back from the Body Slam. That person won’t offer you more stories, but they probably won’t be buying any of your books, either. “…so, then my mother said… That’s not what she said to me last night when I was…” You get the idea.


The key to remember here is that most people really want to be as famous or as dedicated to something as you are. They want to glean a little of your best quality, (being focused enough to actually finish a book), for themselves. Or, they want to be applauded and mentioned as a cause of your fame. They want you, o fabulous author, to appreciate them. When you really think about it, it’s kind of an honor that they think enough of you to want to bask in your glow.


Or, they are just self-absorbed buttheads. You decide.










JD has worked with some of the finest high technology teams in the business, and has delivered to some of the world's most recognizable companies the high quality graphics & multimedia they demand, all over the world.. As an author, JD hopes to bring his unique ideas to life in this medium. A visitor to his studio office will be treated to the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush and traditional Celtic music. Jeff resides an hour north of Manhattan, N.Y. with his wife and two children.




Blurb for "The Seeds" :


This is not your grandmother's fairy tale. A fantasy novel that turns the genre on its head, "The Seeds" follows Trooper Angus Mayweather as he is thrust into the conflict faced by twin sisters Dartura & Varia, Generals of the Tarol Nation. As the sisters uncover a new threat from an old enemy, Angus must do what he can to help as the Tarol Nation faces all-out war.


Relevant Links: Where to buy: "The Seeds"
Website: www.jdsavage.com
Writer's Blog: Tarol Nation
G+ profile: JD Savage


Previous Stop on the Blog Tour:  "Profanity in YA" hosted by Scott Roche 
Next Stop on the Blog Tour: "The Sequel- how much from the previous book is too much" hosted by Masha Du Toit 

Friday, July 6, 2012

QoTD: 7/6/12

Question of the Day:

If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?


I actually don't think that I would.  There are a lot of things that I could do with a million dollars but I'm not sure that leaving the family business is one of them.  

If I knew for sure that I could spend all day every day writing until I got into graduate school I might but I think having an outside time commitment helps me focus more when I do sit down to write.

Review: Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire


Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
DAW, March 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy
Format: Mass Market Paperback

From the Back of the Book:

Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance.

Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...

A lifetime of training isn't enough to prepare Verity for what's ahead- especially not for Dominic De Luca, the Covenant's newest operative.  When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed.

My Thoughts:

I had to wait a few months to post this so that I could post something coherent instead of fangirl squee.  This is just one of those books that pushes all my buttons: dancing, biology/cryptozoology, kick-ass female protagonist, and dragons!  Plus it created a whole new button for talking religious mice!  I really loved this book and it will probably have a place on my bookshelf forever.

The characters are fun and well-developed and there is plenty of snappy dialogue to go around.  I really enjoyed that the Cryptids played valuable roles suited to their natures and weren't relegated to merely props and love interests.  The family interactions were well-written and believable and hint at a wealth of universe to back up the story.  I also liked that the protagonists actually got injured and took steps to prevent injury instead of being mysteriously indestructible urban fantasy character.

As someone who usually passes over quotations and stuff at chapter breaks, I found the beginnings of chapters to be epically amusing.  The quotations were short and pithy tidbits, often advice from another member of the Price family.  But the real prize is the location descriptors at the beginning of each chapter, of course I might be easily amused.

In summary, you should definitely read this book because it is awesome.

Seanan McGuire's Website
Seanan McGuire's Blog
Discount Armageddon: An InCryptid Novel (Incryptid Novels) on Amazon

My reviews on other books by Seanan McGuire:
As Seanan McGuire
Rosemary and Rue
As Mira Grant
Feed
Deadline


Thursday, July 5, 2012

QoTD 7/5/12

Question of the Day:

If alien spaceships were parked over major cities of the world, how would you react?

(I bet you can guess what I was watching last night instead of fireworks)

I would probably be either at an Alien Celebration Party or hiding way out in the middle of nowhere. Or possibly more likely, an Alien Celebration Party in the middle of nowhere.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Portland Lindy Hop Events July 4-11




Lindy Events for the Week of July 4-11


Wednesday July 4

Portland Blues Experience

Thursday July 5


6:30-7:30 Big Apple Workshop with Coyle Parker
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
http://coyleparkerdance.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/big-apple-workshop-2/

7:30-11:00pm Thursday Swing
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lessons
8:30 DJ'd Music by Seattle DJ Brenda Starr

Portland Blues Experience
Friday July 6

6-8pm Swing Papillon at the Secret Society
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell, Portland)

Portland Blues Experience

Saturday July 7


9:30-12 Jenny Finn Orchestra at Duff's Garage
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Duff's Garage (1635 SE 7th Ave, Portland)

Portland Blues Experience

Sunday July 8

7-11:00pm Sunday Swing 
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
7:00 Intermediate Swing Drop-in Lesson
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:00-11:00pm DJ'd Music
http://www.stumptowndance.com/


Portland Blues Experience

Monday July 9


6:30-8:30pm Learn to Swing Dance with Josh and Emily
Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt Drive, Portland)
6:30-7:30 Beginning Lindy Hop
7:30-8:30 Beyond Beginning Partner Charleston
http://www.facebook.com/events/257273261046069/


7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica
Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday July 10

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues
Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson
8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson
9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday July 11

7:30-10:30 pm Swing Night at Vie de Boheme
Vie de Boheme Wine Bar (1530 SE 7th Ave, Portland)


Upcoming Events!

July 15 Workshop of Dips, Tricks & Slides + the classic "Stops 1" Routine! (Scottish Rite, Portland, OR)
August 3 August Lindy Workshop/Dance with Justin & Olivia! (Tango Berretin, Portland, OR)
August 10-12 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Weekly Weigh In July 3


It's been an interesting week but luckily things are getting back to normal around here.  I did a couple of C25K workouts with my sister's dog as my running buddy.  He wasn't impressed by my jogging pace and got bored partway through each workout and tried to play with me like he would another dog.  I was not amused.  Maybe I'll try again when I've got some more pace to my running.

However, I've gained a human running buddy!  I'll have to repeat week 4 to give her a chance to build up endurance but that will probably work out just fine for me too.  I think that running with her is going to help me increase my speed a bit since she runs quite a bit faster than I do, albeit currently in short bursts.

The stretching that I've been doing before and after workouts has almost got me back to my old flexibility.  However, I'm getting to the point where belly fat is impeding further improvement.  Something to work on.

I did notice (or possibly imagine) that according to my mirror my figure is beginning to improve.  It is worth considering that I might not be seeing as much weight loss as hoped for because I am adding muscle weight.  I will have to keep going to find out.  I'll have a better idea of what is going on when I do my once a month measurements of waist, hips, thighs, etc in a couple of weeks.


Statistics:

Current Weight: 225.4 pounds
Last Week:  227.4  pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 2.0 pounds lost

Starting Weight: 225.2 pounds
Highest Point: 227.4 pounds
Lowest Point: 224.8 pounds

QoTD 7/3/12

Question of the Day:

What's the best advice you've received on dating?

Don't date anyone who isn't as awesome as your friends.



Monday, July 2, 2012

QoTD 7-2-12

Question of the Day:

What would you do in life if money was not a constraint?

I would probably go from weekend dance event to weekend dance event while writing novels during the week.  I could definitely travel the world that way.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Writing Update July 1


Look!  It's the return of my weekly writing updates.  That means I'm writing regularly again.  I'm trying to get back on track for WIP500.  It'll probably take lots of consistent writing and winning both the August and November NaNoWriMo Sessions.  I threw in the towel on the June session of Camp NaNoWriMo, so I'll be finishing that story during July.

My current goal for each day in July is to write 500 words on the Steampunk Seasonal Serial, spend at least half an hour on rewriting Hive Mind and a complete scene outlined for A Guide to Inter-species Dating.  A Guide to Inter-species Dating will be a short story collection to be written during the August Session of Camp NaNoWriMo.  I fully expect to finish outlining before the end of the July and will move on to outlining for other future projects.

Works In Progress

Outbreak (NaNoWriMo 2011) - Resting

54270 / 90000


Hive Mind (NaNoWriMo 2010) - Editing and Writing Second Draft

53250 / 90000


Steampunk Seasonal Serial - Writing First Draft

12121 / 50000


A Guide to Inter-species Dating - Brainstorming and Outlining

0 / 50000


Greased Gears - Writing First Draft

9326 / 90000

QoTD 7/1/12

Question of the Day:

If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?

I have two takes on this.  If the entire world were going to go, I'd spend the rest of the day with and family, close friends and fellow swing dancers.  If only the people that I know personally were going to die, I'd fly out to DC and introduce myself to every politician that I could find, followed by a visit to the Westboro Baptist Church.  I'm vindictive like that.